Reference
FAQ & Troubleshooting
Questions we keep getting
Updated 2026-10-05: incentivized testnet is live; added how the 100-seat signing committee is chosen.
General
What is Asentum?
A Layer-1 blockchain built from scratch in JavaScript with post-quantum signatures from genesis. See Why Asentum.
Is the testnet live?
Yes - explorer.asentum.com. Hundreds of bonded validators, a 100-seat signing committee each epoch, and hundreds of thousands of blocks produced so far.
Is the incentivized testnet live?
It already has. The incentivized testnet (Phase 3) has been live since 17 September 2026 at 16:00 UTC, and XP earning is open on the airdrop dashboard.
When is mainnet?
Mainnet is Phase 4 of the rollout. Current work is stabilising the incentivized testnet (Phase 3). Exact date is not yet committed - we would rather ship right than ship early.
Is there a token?
Yes. ASE is live as an ERC-20 on Ethereum mainnet, trading on MEXC (ASE/USDT) and Uniswap. Testnet ASE is a separate test token with no monetary value. Distribution details are on the token page.
Using the network
Can I use MetaMask?
For reads, yes - add the network. For signing, no - MetaMask produces ECDSA signatures and Asentum requires Dilithium3. Use the Asentum Wallet extension alongside.
How do I get test ASE?
The testnet faucet lives on the airdrop dashboard: sign in, link your wallet, and drip 5 ASE (one request per 60 minutes per IP and per address). Validator onboarding through the installer or the Operator app funds the bond automatically.
I lost my password - what now?
Use the "Forgot password" flow in the wallet to wipe the vault, then restore from your recovery phrase. No phrase means no recovery.
What's the chain ID?
1423 (default - check eth_chainId for the live value). See Network Parameters.
Building
Do I need to learn a new language?
No. Contracts are plain JavaScript inside a Hardened JS sandbox. If you know JS, you know enough to start.
Can I port a Solidity contract?
Not directly - there is no EVM. Rewrite the logic in JavaScript; the model is close enough that most designs translate with minor work. See Writing Contracts.
How do I test contracts?
Two layers: in-process unit tests via @asentum/vm and integration tests against testnet via @asentum/sdk. See Testing Contracts.
Can I use npm packages inside a contract?
No. The contract sandbox has no module imports, and there are no importable libraries (library approval through governance is disabled). Put any helper code you need in your contract source.
Running a node
Is a Raspberry Pi actually enough?
For a validator, yes - Pi 4 with 4 GB RAM and a USB SSD is the supported floor. See Hardware Requirements.
Is the 500 ASE minimum bond enough to sign blocks?
It makes you a validator candidate, not a signer. Each epoch the chain fills a 100-seat signing committee by stake (top 50 core seats plus reserve seats; ties at the cutoff rotate). The cutoff moves as people bond: currently about 1,350 ASE, so check it on the explorer's validators page. Below the cutoff your validator stays waiting (dormant): it does not sign and does not earn signing rewards. See Consensus & Validators.
How long does unbonding take, and how do I get my ASE back?
Unbonding is counted in blocks: 1,296,000 of them. That is about 30 days at the 2-second target, but blocks have recently taken 4 to 9 seconds, so expect roughly 2 to 3 months. It cannot be cancelled, and the ASE earns nothing while it waits. It does not return on its own: once it matures, claim it (Claim matured unbond in the Operator, asentum-validator withdraw on a VPS). If you just want a committee seat, bond more instead of unbonding. Details in Unbonding & withdrawing.
How do I avoid getting slashed?
Two rules: one signing key, one machine. Don't double-sign. Don't skip the monitoring. Full checklist at Slashing Risks.
Can I run a validator without risk?
Not a consensus validator - bonded stake means slashing risk. For risk-free participation, run a service node instead. See Node Types.
Troubleshooting
My node isn't syncing.
Check peers (asentum chain status). If zero, check that outbound connections are allowed and that the ANT port (9000) is not blocked: blocks and votes travel over port 9000 and the baked relays. Your RPC port (8545) does not need to be reachable by other nodes, and making it private never affects syncing, signing or producing. If the node is stuck at one height, a VPS install can run asentum-validator resync. See Monitoring & Logs.
I sent a transaction but don't see it in the explorer.
Wait a few blocks. Slots target 2 seconds, but real block times run longer under load (recently about 4 to 9 seconds). If still missing, your transaction was rejected - check the response from eth_sendRawTransaction. Common causes: nonce mismatch, insufficient balance, base fee too low.
My tx reverted with "already initialized".
You ran the contract\'s init method twice. Init is replay-guarded by convention. See Writing Contracts.
MetaMask won't show my ASE balance.
Make sure the chain is added with the right RPC URL and chain ID. Then import the token - MetaMask doesn\'t auto-detect non-ETH native tokens.
Still stuck?
Email hello@asentum.com or file an issue on GitHub. We'd rather help you now than have you work around it.